City adopts $2.4M levy

Tuesday

Dec 18, 2012 at 10:24 AMDec 18, 2012 at 10:26 AM

Lois Westermeyer

Opting against raising property taxes, members of the Pontiac City Council approved a $2.4 million tax levy Monday night, basically the same as last year’s amount.Because the equalized assessed value of property within city limits is nearly $119 million, down about $4 million, the council was faced with either approving a levy increase and rate increase, which would most likely raise property taxes, or using last year’s levy and bring in less money.“This will mean about $35,000 to $40,000 less in the general fund, but we can handle this,” said Mayor Robert Russell. “We just can’t increase property taxes.”The levy, or extension, is the amount of money collected through property taxes.City Administrator Bob Karls said the just approved levy would generate a 3 percent higher rate of $2.03, which would be offset by the negative multiplier and 3 percent lower EAV most residential and commercial property owners will see.Last year’s rate, which is how much a property tax owner will pay per $100 of their property’s equalized assessed value, was $1.98.“The corresponding rate increase is equal to the EAV decrease,” Karls said. “The EAV can change slightly and if it goes up, the rate will decline accordingly,” he said.Some properties of course will see an increased EAV if improvements were completed and farmland has gone up, but for the most part, property owners will pay about the same or less in property taxes.The city has seen costs rise and both Karls and Russell said user taxes would likely have to be discussed before the city adopts its budget next spring.“One of the most discussed user taxes in communities is the telecommunications tax residents pay for home phones and cell phones. Most communities add a 6 percent tax to these. Our tax is one-half of 1 percent,” Karls said.The city also plans to look again at increasing the general merchandise sales tax as a way to raise revenue without increasing property taxes.In another matter, several department leaders discussed coordinated winter weather preparedness, including snow routes and emergency situations.Street and Alley Superintendent Chris Brock stated plowing routes were prioritized with main roads and downtown parking lots among the first priorities. Secondary streets would be plowed after main routes were completed. He noted the city has an abundance of salt to deal with icy streets.Brock said the snow and salt route maps are available online at the city’s website and that residents can sign up to receive weather alerts.Jerry Hayner, director of Parks and Recreation, said a change had to be made for opening up the Rec Center as a Red Cross shelter.“In the past, we allowed pets in, but the Red Cross has rules where pets cannot be at the shelter, other than service animals,” Hayner said. “The Red Cross is a very critical component of our providing the shelter and we could not put up the shelter without them, so we have to abide by those rules,” he said.Hayner said he has been working with the Livingston County Humane Society about temporarily housing pets of people who need to use the shelter or perhaps finding foster homes for those occasions when a pet is involved.Police Chief Jim Woolford and acting Fire Chief Scott Runyon both shared how their departments are involved when winter weather affects safe travel and opening of the shelter. All requests for opening an emergency shelter shall originate with the Fire Department, the city’s Emergency Services Disaster Agency. The Illinois National Guard Armory will be a secondary site should the Rec Center become full. If the shelter is opened the Livingston County ESDA agent, Chuck Schoop, LIV COM and State Police will also be notified.Woolford also thanked the public for its support in the recent rash of burglaries and break-ins, which led to the arrests of five people.Council members also learned that talks for a new depot are proceeding and will now include the property on West Washington Street that was given to the city after a fire destroyed the apartment building located there.City Attorney Alan Schrock also discussed an ordinance involving deed transfer of land to Exact Packaging. In 2009, the city entered into an agreement to give the land in the enterprise zone to Exact Packaging, with a number of requirements. However, the ownership name of the company has changed and the city, because some requirements were not met, did not deed over the property.Schrock said the city needed to deed over the property in order to enforce the requirements, which mainly deal with number of full-time employees Exact Packaging was to have working there. The ordinance required 85 full-time employees or that equivelent if some part-time employees were calculated.“I expect this will come back to the council for an amendment with the economy as it is,” Schrock said.Alderman Bill Kallas stated that Exact Packaging has been a success story for Pontiac, from its small beginnings in town, to its relocation and expansion in the enterprise zone along Route 116 West.The council approved the deed transfer ordinance.Council members and department representatives also held a moment of silence in respect for the Connecticut school shooting tragedy.“Our hearts go out to that community,” said Russell. “It should also be noted that city and county police are providing a bigger presence around the local schools here as a precautionary measure.”